Sunday, April 1, 2012

Discussion Notes: Literary Techniques in A Tale of Two Cities



1.     Allusion

a.     The American Revolution (effects it had on England); the Bible

                                          i.    The dated allusions make it harder to identify and understand them and the text as a whole

2.      Paradox

a.     "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."

                                          i.    Contrasts appear throughout the novel: the idea of resurrection comes with the idea of death (one would not be possible without the other); The contrast/relationship between Paris and London; contrast/relationship between Lucie Manette and Charles Darnay

3.      Imagery

a.     people in the street drinking spilled wine off the street, with wine stains smeared on their faces and arms, and "Blood" written on the wall in muddy red wine

                                          i.    provides vivid image of poverty and foreshadows danger/bloodspill

4.      Foreshadowing

a.     The first Saint Antoine scene, red wine spilled on the streets, "Blood" smeared on the wall in muddy red wine

                                          i.    Signal bloodshed and war

1.     helps the reader anticipate upcoming events, which contributes to the reader’s understanding of the novel as it develops

5.     Diction

a.     "Thus did the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five conduct their Greatnesses, and myriads of small creatures--the creatures of this chronicle among the rest--along the roads that lay before them."

                                          i.    Very period-based and culturally influenced; Dickens writes to a specific  audience

6.     Syntax

a.     "Samples of a people that had undergone a terrible grinding and regrinding in the mill, and certainly not in the fabulous mill which ground old people young, shivered at every corner, passed in and out at every doorway, looked from every window, fluttered in every vestige of a garment that the wind shook."

                                          i.    Long, complex run-on sentences

1.     Creates a slow pace for the story, which only makes it harder for contemporary readers to follow and understand

7.     Setting

a.     Set in two cities (London and Paris)

                                          i.    Allows Dickens is to compare the two cities  through his characters with the effect of highlighting certain aspects of each society

8.      Symbolism

a.     Lucie's golden hair symbolizes everything her father, Dr. Manette, lost when he was imprisoned; (It reminded him of his wife)

9.     Point of View

a.     Court Room Scene: narration gives you insight into the minds of the allowing the reader to discover new information in a more meaningful way

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